Is it possible for Botox to wear off earlier than 2 months ?

Question

I had botox done on my forehead and 11's (between eyes) on 12/30/14. It's now been one month but I noticed my forehead feels different. When I first got it, it felt kind of 'heavy' and similar to having a plate under my forehead, but definitely not movable. Now I still cannot move my forehead but the feeling of heaviness and the plate feeling is gone ? Is this a sign it is beginning to wean ? I exercise nearly 6-7day/week, cardio (30-45min). I was not sure if exercises causes it to wear faster ?

Jerome Edelstein, MD · Answer

It is very common to have a sensation of heaviness similar to a plate resting on your forehead initially once your Botox treatment begins to work. However, once this wears off, and you still have no movement in your forehead, rest assured that your treatment is still effective.However, the amount and placement of the Botox injected, as well as the strength of your muscles and how frequently you still attempt to use them, especially while exercising, will determine how long the Botox effect will last. It is a good idea to keep track of the length of time that your Botox effect lasts, so that you can discuss this with your physician at your next appointment, and this way, your physician can put together a Botox treatment plan for you that will last for 3-4 months. At Edelstein Cosmetic, we follow the Optimized Beauty System, which ensures that your Botox lasts for 3-4 months. We schedule your appointments in this time frame so that your facial muscles do not have a chance to relearn the wrinkle-forming movements again, all while using the optimal Botox dosing for you!

William Franckle, MD, FACS · Answer

That’s a really great question. I am sure many people experience this
and do not discuss it. In patients who have their first treatment involving the
11’s and the forehead, the change in muscle activity of the frontalis muscle
(forehead) is often felt as a heaviness of the brows. Experienced injectors of Botox know
that too much in the frontalis will cause the eyebrows to droop and ruin
the lift that people expect from a Botox treatment. On the other hand, not treating
the forehead with enough Botox often leads to bizarre wrinkling in the mid and
upper forehead which does not blend well with the smooth area between the
eyebrows. The compromise is to use less Botox in the forehead which gives a
more natural appearance but also tends to ware off sooner then the fully
treatment muscles between the eyebrows.

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hi Nick.  The key factor in determining whether the product has worn off is muscle movement.  As soon as you can frown completely the effects are gone and this typically happens after 3-4 months.  So, even though it feels a little different now, as long as you can't frown, the product is still working. To see examples of other Long Beach, CA Botox before and after pictures for the forehead, click the link below.

Suzanne Kilmer, MD · Answer

Actually,  the heavy
forehead feeling is not ideal…and what you have now IS IDEAL! Having said that
I do have patients that work out a lot - like you (and me) - and do need to do
their botox at 3 month intervals. For most of the population, if you keep your
botox up so that you don’t let it fully wear out and let your muscles get
stronger again, you will go longer and longer each time… I have patients that
routinely go 6 months between treatments with minimal movement. So return for
treatment right when you are just getting half of your movement back and you
will lengthen the treatment interval as time goes on.

Sumit Bapna, MD · Answer

The duration of the result with Botox treatment is directly related to the dose injected. If a lesser dose was used, your duration may be less then previous treatments. The heaviness and plate sensation is common after treatment of the glabella and forehead. Even though this sensation is gone, your result may persist for another 60 days.Exercise should not change duration, although I think there are certain patients that never get a full 3 months with their treatment.

Is it possible for Botox to wear off earlier than 2 months ?

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Is it possible for Botox to wear off earlier than 2 months ?

Answers (7)

Answer: Duration of Botox

Answer: Duration of Botox

Answer: Duration of Botox Treatment

Answer: Duration of Botox Treatment

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